The Story of Palestine: A Land Taken, A People Under Siege

The Story of Palestine: A Land Taken, A People Under Siege

Chapter 1: A Promise Made Over Another’s Land

The roots of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict are deeply entwined with the colonial legacy of the early 20th century. In 1917, the British government issued the Balfour Declaration, promising to establish a “national home for the Jewish people” in Palestine — a land already inhabited by Palestinian Arabs for centuries. This decision sowed the seeds of future conflict.

Following World War II and the Holocaust, sympathy for Jews grew worldwide. In 1947, the United Nations proposed a partition plan, offering over half of Palestine to create a Jewish state. Palestinian Arabs rejected this plan, considering it unjust and imposed. Despite resistance, on May 14, 1948, Israel was declared a state, resulting in the Nakba ("catastrophe") — where over 750,000 Palestinians were expelled or fled from their homes.

Chapter 2: The Rise of Power and the Support Behind It

Israel’s growth from a new state to a military power didn’t happen alone. It received early and continued support from powerful Western nations:

• The United States became its biggest backer, providing billions in military aid every year.
• Germany and other European countries contributed financially, citing historical guilt after the Holocaust.
• The United Kingdom, as the former colonial power, had enabled early Zionist settlements through laws and land policies.

This external support allowed Israel to build one of the most advanced militaries in the world, including nuclear capabilities, despite having no formal acknowledgment of such weapons.

Chapter 3: Expansion, Occupation, and Oppression

After several wars — in 1948, 1967, and 1973 — Israel expanded far beyond its original UN-granted borders, occupying the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip. In the Six-Day War of 1967, Israel occupied these Palestinian territories, and despite international laws, it has continued building illegal settlements in the West Bank, pushing Palestinians into smaller, disconnected enclaves.

Gaza, controlled by Hamas since 2006, has been under a severe blockade by Israel and Egypt. This blockade restricts food, medicine, electricity, and freedom of movement. For nearly two decades, Palestinians in Gaza have lived in what many call the largest open-air prison in the world.

Chapter 4: The 2023–2024 War: A Genocide Unfolding

In October 2023, violence escalated once again. In retaliation for a Hamas attack, Israel launched a full-scale military assault on Gaza. This conflict has become one of the deadliest in recent memory:

• Over 51,000 Palestinians killed (mostly civilians and children).
• 90% of the population displaced.
• Hospitals bombed, schools flattened, refugee camps destroyed.
• Mass starvation due to Israel cutting off food and aid routes.

Despite claims of targeting Hamas, Israeli airstrikes repeatedly hit civilian infrastructure, with entire neighborhoods reduced to rubble. The humanitarian crisis has become so severe that thousands of children are suffering from malnutrition, and Gaza’s healthcare system has nearly collapsed.

Chapter 5: Who Remains Silent? The Muslim World’s Divided Response

While the streets of Bangladesh, Pakistan, Indonesia, and Turkey roar with support for Gaza, many Muslim governments remain silent or passive:

• UAE, Bahrain, and Morocco: Continue their normalization of ties with Israel under the Abraham Accords.
• Egypt and Jordan: Despite historical roles, they maintain peace treaties and are reluctant to confront Israel directly.
• Saudi Arabia: Though vocally critical, it has stopped short of strong action and has even signaled openness to future ties with Israel.

This silence is fueled by politics, fear of sanctions, and economic deals, particularly with Western nations allied with Israel.

Chapter 6: Movements for Gaza: The World Speaks

The genocide unfolding in Gaza has shaken the conscience of the world. While governments remain divided or complicit, ordinary people have risen up — in millions — demananding justice, ceasefire, and freedom for Palestine. Across continents and cultures, from powerful cities to small villages, people have made it clear: Gaza is not alone.

Bangladesh: A Loud and Unified Voice

• Massive rallies have swept across Dhaka, Chittagong, Sylhet, Rajshahi, and more.
• Thousands of students, teachers, and Islamic scholars marched with Palestinian flags and symbolic coffins.
• Political parties across the spectrum – including Awami League, BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami, Leftist groups – all condemned Israeli aggression.
• Public universities held human chains, protest art, and collective prayers.
• Government condemned attacks and sent aid.
• Social media campaigns trended globally.
• Art, culture, schoolchildren and scholars participated in solidarity events.

Bangladesh stands tall with Gaza — not just with words, but with action.

Other Global Movements for Gaza

• Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Turkey, Iran, Qatar: Held massive rallies, condemned Israeli war crimes, and sent aid.
• Jordan, Egypt, Morocco, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq: Citizens protested strongly despite political challenges.
• South Africa: Took Israel to the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
• UK, France, Germany, Ireland, Spain: Millions protested, pressuring governments.
• USA & Canada: Despite official support for Israel, people organized protests, campus strikes, and Jewish-led sit-ins.
• Latin America (Brazil, Chile, Bolivia): Governments and citizens condemned Israel; Bolivia cut diplomatic ties.
• Australia & New Zealand: Protested arms trade and supported ceasefire calls.

The world stood, even if many governments did not.

Chapter 7: The Real Face of Greed and Injustice

The story of Palestine is not only about land — it's about colonial greed, power, racism, and dehumanization. Israel’s rise to power was not solely about security. It became about control, dominance, and expanding territory under the excuse of defense.

Israel has claimed the right to "defend itself" while:

• Bulldozing homes in the West Bank.
• Cutting off water and electricity to 2.3 million people in Gaza.
• Killing journalists, medics, and children.
• Defying international law and blocking UN investigations.

This is not defense. It is occupation and apartheid, as described by Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International. Even Donald Trump, former U.S. President, sided openly with Israeli actions, pushing deals that marginalized Palestinians and threatened regional balance. Israel and its allies now also threaten Iran, risking a larger regional war.

Conclusion: Palestine Still Stands

Despite everything, the people of Palestine still stand — under the rubble, in the refugee camps, in the hospitals. They carry keys to homes they were forced to leave generations ago, still dreaming of return.

The world may turn its eyes away, but history will remember:

• The silence of those who could speak.
• The support of those who dared to care.
• The strength of a people who refused to be erased.

Free Palestine is not just a chant. It's a cry for justice, dignity, and peace — in a land where olive trees grow over graves, and children still dare to fly kites under a sky filled with drones.